By Jennifer P. Rendon
A 40-year-old man was injured in a hacking episode early morning of April 5, 2021 in Calinog, Iloilo.
The victim, Edmund Casten, 40, of Barangay Ipil, Calinog, is now out of danger after sustaining wounds on his head.
Captain Genesis Roque, Calinog police chief, identified the suspect as Edmund’s uncle, 52-year-old Jojie Casten, who was immediately arrested after the incident.
According to police reports, Jojie first attack Edmund’s brother-in-law, Arnold Mahinay.
When the victim saw that the 37-year-old Mahinay fell to the ground as he tried to evade Jojie’s attack, he rushed towards the duo to pacify the fight.
But Edmund was the one who got hit by Jojie’s bolo.
Roque said the suspect and several family members went into a drinking spree the night before the incident happened.
There was a heated argument that happened among them, owing to grudges that remain unresolved.
Immediately after he woke up, Jojie could have remembered what happened and stormed Mahinay’s house around 5:45 a.m. of Monday. He challenged Mahinay to a hacking duel.
It was then that Edmund came into the picture and meddled in the fight where he ended up getting injured.
The victim was rushed to Calinog District Hospital for treatment.
Roque said the victim’s family already intimated that they wouldn’t be pursuing any criminal charges against the suspect.
